The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-09-05


Officer neither owns the ofics cccu-
MED by him nor the Offices occupied
Nv persons under his supervision.
ale Is moi Rthe employer Of his sub
ordinstes. He Ia not master. He
Ia a servant, q servant OF the people,
and certainly no good reason can
be given why he, In serving
the people, ehould be permitted 10
hold in his own mind Snd keeping
his reasons for doing or refusing 10 do
any act IN the performance or ron.
performance OF which the people have
an interest II IL not unlawful 90 re-
move q good m N who Is in every way
competent In the discharge Of his
public duties; but. upon tho removal
u such man without good cause
and there may be- good cause even for
such removal-the officer making
the removal should be condemned.
Concerning the right OF the commits
sion TO make investigations Of the
kind conducted by Connie, iorero
Edgertou and Lyman, 90 Chicago,
agains, the right and policy Of which
Commissioner Edgerton makes ohjec.
ton, the opinion ssye that fuch inyes.
LEGATIONS result IN he good Of tho scr.
vice, In the correction OF wrong
methods and OF bad methods, ana
sometimes In the disclosure of eva.
slons aud OF violations OF
both the law and the rules.
In conclusion the comnlesoa ex'
presses lts dissent from Commissioner
Elperton's censure Of Owl Service
Rsiorm Leagues aud ss'ociatiunf, and
part ulsrly Of the OWL Service Re-.
l1rm League OF Chicago, and says
that its observation hRe discovered no
purpose OF aoy OF them 10 autrgoniIe
the administration or TO In any way
embairass II in the enforcement Of the
civil service law and rulee, 90 the
contrary, all such leagues and Gsaocia.
t!ons have shown mort earnest dc.
sire TO supporl the commission IN the
discharge Of its duties.
Com missioner Edgerton IN HE 70.
porto the commission states that he
WAS opposed to the investigation be.
canse, In his opinion, tha charges
which had been made were not OF that
substantial and definite character
which could give the commission any
legal right 10 act upon this complaint,
or impose upon Il any duty OF inveH.
tigition under the civil service act
aud rules. When Mr.. SeebOfger, In
his reply 10 Mr.. Webstef's complaint
denied the chsrgeO made sgainsi him,
and claiming mat he T6qutsttd the
resignation Of Sir. Webster for Taa'
sons amply strong, aud thai be acted
in strict conformity TO tho civil ser
vice law, he distinctly denied that the
request for the resignation was
prompted Tor political reAsons. With
this answer, says Con missioner III.
gcrlon, the invettIgation should have
stopped, for there vas nothing left for
the commission 20 do. Continuing,
he says The papers In lhe case were
sent " the President oy the Owl ger.
vice Reform Leseue u Oh cago, aud
not directly to the cotimission and II
was Gppsren, upon The iaos Of these
papers thu, tie tbAr} we're not only
Insufficient, blt vstc melted aud en-
Outraged by the ,oaR4a Tor tsq puf
poses b. make them q basic for a DO
litical partlean attack upon the pres
ent administration and, by ~ doing
20 brig " omihsntiy forward - aully,
civil teryice Teioims's certain psrsnn
who might otherwise remain IN
known. Mr.. Webster states that h,
was removed, or ooerced 10 resign, for
political reasons, and this Ia all ths
charge there In sglinst Mr.. Seeberger
that deserves any confederation what.
ever. This charge Mr.. seeborger en-
phaiicaly denies. Webster wa not
removed, he resigned. When Mr..
Webster resigned he slAndoned oil
legal claim to his position; and with.
out claim or right, Why Ahoull he, or
tie Chicago II form League, seek The
Intervention u tho Prlsidebt, or an
! Investigation by tie commission, un.
less Tor partisan political rento1e7 H.
sought the aid and sympathy OF this
reform league, not for restoration 10
Office, bat for that temporary news.
paper prominence which might make
more popular the purposes II both,
which pufpcssl were TO aniAgon nc
and 10 diecIeiit Democratic Ad.
miniHir1tion. Tho league might
possibly demonstrate "a prster ded
power and usefulness by Il. attempt 10
find some legal redress for such com.
plants as Mr.. Websier's, n any could
be found 10 eIlsi. Bat In theeo case,
Of removal from Office restoration 10
not sought through the OWL Service
Commlfaion, for II IL known 90 be
powerlote B. eject II but the purpose
Of complaint 10 10 iaHten upon q Dem.
oorstlc administrator some charge Of
violation, Il not the letter, then OF the
spirit OF tie law, violations which are
rarely, II ever, sought for during a Re.
publican administration, % whatever
Il N ight do would be ealled O faithful
Observance OF tie law.
"lhe leagues ard afBoolatious, which
ATe too often essentially political I'm
character and purposes, aud no, com
posed entirely OF consistent reform.
era, a. we'll M the individual pretend.
ca 10 devotion 10 the public inter.
est a. civil service reiormeTs, should
cobcede 10 the President and his party
some honesty Of purp se, and should
believe that ss far ~ In bio power he
will zee that the civil e6iy co law and
tho rules made by bimseli are faith.
fully executed. No long 40 unrcason
ing hostility 10 the administration and
persistent denunciAtlon are called
vigilance investigation IN the
cause OF honest government and
civil service reform, 10 long will Il be-
known that neither civil service o..
form nor honest government are tho
real subjects OF deep concern, but
that greed Tor Office and party success
sre the kidnapping b action, and the
defeat Of the present Democratic al.
mir isirliIcn the highest pufplse."
Mr. u gerton reasserts his position
'Shen In tie case Of Postmaster Har.
rity, Of Philadelphia. that reasonh
should not be exacted 81 fuperion f1F
the dihmstal Of aubordin ates. he
naye: "Undsf the civil service Law
y clerkship II, In one rpuse, a oondI.
ton Of perpetual probation. II means
trial, ard that failure on trial mean
dismissal. After q regular appolnl.
meni there II tiate Of continui d trial
| in the effort and the hope 30 90 al